Nicholas Gabrini de, one of the most singular characters of the fourteenth century, was born at Rome, but it is not certainly known in what year. His father, as some affirm, was a vintner, but, according to others, a miller, and his mother was a laundress, yet they found means to give their son a liberal education; and to a fine natural understanding he added uncommon application. He was well acquainted with the laws and customs of nations; and had a vast memory, which enabled him to retain much of Cicero, Valerius Maximus, Livy, the two Senecas, and, in particular, Caesar's Commentaries, which he constantly perused. This extensive erudition proved the foundation of his future rise. He acquired the reputation of a great antiquary, from the time which he spent among the inscriptions to be found at Rome, and these inspired him with exalted ideas of the liberty, the grandeur, and justice of the old Romans. He even persuaded himself, and found means to persuade others, that he should one day be the restorer of the Roman republic. The credulity of the people was powerfully encouraged and strengthened by his advantageous stature, by the attractions of his countenance, and by that air of consequence which he could assume at pleasure. The joint energy of all these prepossessing qualities made a deep and almost indelible impression on the minds of his hearers.

Nor was his fame merely confined to the vulgar, for he even ingratiated himself into the good opinion of many distinguished personages belonging to the administration. The Romans chose him one of their deputies to Pope Clement VI. then at Avignon. The purport of this mission was to persuade his holiness that his absence from the capital was mimical to its interest. His commanding eloquence and gay conversation charmed the court of Avignon; and Rienzi was thus encouraged to tell the pope, that the great men of Rome were public thieves, robbers, adulterers, and profiliates, by whose example the most horrid crimes were sanctioned. This ill-timed freedom of speech made Cardinal Colonna his enemy, though the friend of genuine merit, because he thought that some of his family were included in this flagrant accusation. Rienzi was disgraced, and fell into extreme misery, vexation, and sickness, which, by being united with indigence, brought him to a hospital. But as the cardinal was compassionate, the offender was again brought before the pope, who, being informed that Rienzi was a good man, and the strenuous advocate of equity and justice, gave him higher proofs of his esteem and confidence than before. He was appointed apostolic notary, and sent back to Rome loaded with the effects of papal munificence.

The functions of this office he executed in such a manner as to become the idol of the people, whose affections he laboured to secure by excluding against the vices of the great, rendering them as odious as possible; for which imprudent liberties he was dismissed from office. In this situation of his affairs he endeavoured to kindle and keep alive in the minds of the people a zeal for their ancient liberties, displaying emblems of the former grandeur and present decline of the city, accompanied with harangues and many expressive predictions. Such an intrepid, and at the same time extraordinary conduct, made some regard him as a lunatic, while others hailed him as their guardian and deliverer. When he supposed that the numbers attached to his interest were sufficiently strong, he called them together, and gave them a dismal picture of the state of the city, overrun with debaucheries, which their governors had neither capacity to correct nor to amend. He declared that the pope could, even at the rate of fourpence, raise 100,000 florins by fuel, an equal sum by salt, and as much more by the customs and other duties; insinuating that he did not seize on the revenues without the consent of his holiness.

This artful tale so powerfully animated his hearers, that they signified their determination to secure these treasures for whatever purposes might be most convenient, and that to his will they would cheerfully devote themselves. This resolution he caused them confirm by an oath; and it is said that he had the address to procure from the pope's vicar the sanction of his authority. On the 20th of May, being Whitsunday, he averred that he did nothing but in consequence of the particular inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and about nine o'clock he came out of the church with his head bare, attended by the pope's vicar, and about a hundred men in armour. Having proceeded directly to the capitol, he declared from the rostrum, with even more than his wonted boldness and energy, that the hour of their emancipation was at length arrived; that he himself was to be their glorious deliverer, and that he poured contempt on the dangers to which he might be exposed in the service of his holiness, and for the happy deliverance of the people.

The laws of the "good establishment" were next ordered to be read; and he rested assured that the Romans would resolve to observe those laws, in consequence of which he pledged himself to re-establish them in a short time in their ancient grandeur and magnificence.

Plenty and security were the blessings promised by the good establishment, together with the humbling of the nobles, who were regarded as common oppressors. Such ideas filled the people with transport, and they became zealously attached to the fanaticism of Rienzi. The multitude declared him to be sovereign of Rome, to whom they granted the power of life and death, of rewards and punishments, of making and repealing laws, of treating with foreign powers, and a full and absolute authority over all the Roman territories.

Having thus arrived at the zenith of his ambition, he concealed his artifice as much as possible, and pretended to be extremely averse to accept of their proffered honours, unless they would make choice of the pope's vicar to be his coadjutor, and find means to procure the sanction of the pope himself. His wish to have the vicar, bishop of Orvieto, as his coadjutor was readily complied with, while all the honours were paid to Rienzi, the duped bishop enjoying but a mere nominal authority. Rienzi was seated in his triumphal chariot, and the people were dismissed, overwhelmed with joy and expectation. This strange election was ratified by the pope, although it was impossible that he could inwardly approve of it; and to procure a title exclusive of the prerogative of his holiness, was the next object of Rienzi's ambition. He sought, therefore, and readily obtained the title of magistrate, which was conferred on him and his coadjutor, with the addition of deliverers of their country. The conduct of Rienzi immediately subsequent to this elevation justly procured him esteem and respect, as well from the Romans as from neighbouring states; but as his beginning was mean and obscure, he soon became intoxicated with his sudden, his extraordinary elevation, and the incensed nobles having conspired against him, succeeded in their attempt to drive him from an authority which he had not the prudence or address to retain more than six months. At this critical period, his life was only preserved by flight, and by the disguises to which he afterwards had recourse.

Having made an ineffectual effort at Rome to regain his authority, he proceeded to Prague to Charles king of the Romans. In consequence of this rash step he was sent as a prisoner to Avignon, where he continued for three years. When he procured his enlargement, Pope Innocent IV, who succeeded Clement, well knew that many of the Romans were still attached to Rienzi, and therefore he made choice of him as a fit object for assisting him in his design of humbling the other petty tyrants of Italy. In short, he was set at liberty, and appointed governor and senator of Rome. It was hoped that his chastisement would teach him more moderation in future, and that gratitude would induce him to preserve an inviolable attachment to the holy see during the remainder of his life. He met with considerable opposition in assuming his new authority, but cunning and resolution enabled him to overcome it. But gratifying his passions, which were violent in the extreme, and disgracing his office and character by acts of cruelty, he was murdered on the 8th of October 1354.

Thus died Nicholas Rienzi, one of the most extraordinary characters of the age in which he lived; who, having formed a conspiracy big with extravagance, and carried it into execution nearly in the face of the whole world, with such remarkable success as to become sovereign of Rome; having blessed the Romans with plenty, liberty, and justice; having afforded protection to some princes, and provoked a terror to others; having become the arbiter of crowned heads, established the ancient majesty and power of the Roman republic, and filled all Europe with his fame; finally, having procured their sanction whose authority he had usurped in opposition to their interests, he fell at last a sacrifice to the nobles whose ruin he had vowed, and to those vast projects, the execution of which was only prevented by his death.